Spray device for dishwashing machines



Oct. 5 1965 J, M. D. DELAPENA 3,210,010

SPRAY DEVICE FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES Filed Jan. 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Oct. 5, 1965 J. M. D. DELAPENA SPRAY DEVICE FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1964 United States Patent 3,210,010 SPRAYDEVICE FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES John Michael Devereux Delapena, London,England, as-

signor to Porlester Limited, Leicestershire, England, a British companyFiled Jan. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 337,893 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, Jan. 18, 1963, 2,265/63; May 27, 1963, 21,148/ 63 2 Claims.(Cl. 239--242) This invention relates to dishwashing machines, that isto say machines for washing dishes, plates and like tableware, cutlery,cooking vessels and utensils and the like.

The invention is concerned with dishwashing machines comprising a casingin which are placed articles to be washed and in which washing fluid issprayed on to the articles.

In the operation of conventional dishwashing machines, the washingfluid, for example water, being sprayed, takes one direction only andthe application of the fluid to the articles within the casing relies toa great extent upon splashing of the fluid from one article to the nextor from the inner surfaces of the casing on to the articles. On manyoccasions one article shields another article from the fluid so that atleast part of the latter article does not receive sufficient fluid andis not properly washed. Thus, in conventional dish washing machinesthere is insuflicient distribution of washing fluid and the machines areineflicient in washing articles.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dishwashing machinewhich is adapted to produce a greater distribution of washing fluid andhence a more eflicient cleaning operation.

According to the present invention there is provided a dishwashingmachine including a casing, a spray tube formed with perforations alongits length and mounted for movement within the casing and arranged to besupplied with washing fluid under pressure and means for driving thespray tube so that it performs regular movements in at least twodirections, at least one of these directions of movement being anangular movement about the longitudinal central axis of the spray tube.

Thus, in the operation of the machine in accordance with the presentinvention the washing fluid issues in jets from the perforations in thespray tube and each jet is subjected, either simultaneously oralternately, to movement in at least two directions, so that each jet isspread over a wide area within the casing.

The washing fluid employed will usually be water and this will beassumed for convenience hereinafter in this specification.

The spray tube and the said means for driving the latter may be soarranged that the spray tube is moved alternately in two directionsangularly about its longitudinal central axis, that is to say, isoscillated about the said axis. In this event, the jet of water issuingfrom each perforation in the spray tube will be moved alternately in twodirections about the axis of the spray tube.

Alternatively, the spray tube and the means for driving the latter maybe such that the spray tube is continuously rotated in one directionabout its longitudinal central axis and is also moved alternately, intwo directions, along its longitudinal central axis, that is to say isaxially reciprocated. In this event the jet of water issuing from eachperforation will be moved in three directions,'viz. a constant directionabout the axis of the tube and two directions taking place alternatelyalong the axis.

Then again, the spray tube and the means for driving the latter may besuch that the spray tube is moved alternately in two directionsangular-1y about its longianal Patented Oct. 5, 1965 tudinal centralaxis i.e. is oscillated about its axis, and is also moved alternately intwo directions, i.e. is reciprocated, along its longitudinal centralaxis. In this event, the jet of water issuing from each perforation willbe subjected to movement in four direct-ions, i.e. if the oscillationand reciprocation are in phase each jet will be moved first in onedirection angularly and simultaneously in one direction axially and thenin the opposite directions angularly and axially.

The above described alternative arrangements of compound motion of thespray tube in at least two directions will ensure that the water issprayed over a wide area within the casing and will also vary the anglesat which the various jets of water impinge on articles to be washed.

The aforesaid means for driving the spray tube so that it performs thealternative motions described may be of any appropriate form. In anyevent, where the spray tube is moved both angularly and axially, theaxial reciprocation is conveniently derived from the angular movement.Preferably, the said mean-s are constituted by an impeller through whichwhich the water flows prior to flowing through the spray tube, theimpeller being driven by the water flow and in turn driving the spraytube so that it is moved in one of the alternative ways described above.

Where the spray tube is to be rotated in one direction, and axiallyreciprocated, the impeller conveniently includes a rotor which isadapted to be rotated in one direction and is connected co-axially withthe spray tube whereby the latter is continually rotated in onedirection about its longitudinal central axis. In this event, the spraytube is also conveniently mounted for reciprocation along said axisrelatively to the impeller and has associated therewith a cam suchwisethat the spray tube is axially reciprocated during its rotation.

Where the spray tube is to be both oscillated and axially reciprocated,the impeller conveniently includes a rotor adapted to be rotated in onedirection and which is offset, i.e. eccentric, relatively to the spraytube and is connected to the spray tube through a transmission adaptedto convert the rotary motion of the rotor into an oscillatory motion ofthe spray tube about its longitudinal central axis. Here again, thespray tube will be mounted for axial reciprocation along said axisrelatively to the impeller and a cam will conveniently be associatedwith the spray tube suchwise that the latter is axially reciprocatedduring its rotation.

The aforesaid transmission may be constituted by a crank extendingradially from, and rotatable with, the rotor and having a pin extendingparallel to the axis of the rotor which engages in a slot formed in anarm extending radially from the spray tube, the pin being of a length toaccommodate the axial reciprocation. Alternatively, the transmission mayagain include a crank rotatable with the rotor and an arm extendingradially from the spray tube which are connected by a connecting elementarticulated there between by means of ball joints accommodating theaxial reciprocation.

The spray tube, and hence the rotor of the impeller where provided, maybe arranged to be supplied with water under pressure from a sourceexternal to the machine. Preferably, however, the machine includes asump and a pump for pumping water from the sump to the spray tube, andalso to the impeller rotor where provided, the arrangement convenientlybeing such that water issuing from the spray tube on to the articles tobe washed is returned to the sump for recirculation by the pump.

The spray tube may be of any appropriate form, but is conveniently ofcircular cross-section. The perforations therein may be disposed in anyconvenient disposition. Thus, there may be a single series of regularlyspaced perforations extending along the spray tube in a line parallel toits longitudinal central axis. Alternatively, there may be two or moresuch lines of perforations appropriately disposed angularly about thelongitudinal central axis, the perforations of one set preferably beingoffset from the perforations of another set. The angular spacing ofthese lines of perforations would depend upon Whether the spray tubewere adapted to rotate continuously in one direction or to be oscillatedabout its axis and in the latter case upon the are or stroke ofoscillation. Thus, the spacing of such lines of perforations or,expressed another way, the angle of arc of the spray circumference whichis perforated, is determined by the required coverage of the water jetsfrom the spray tube as a result of the angular movement to which thetube is subject. Alternatively, and particularly where the spray tube isadapted to be rotated continuously in one direction, there may beprovided at least one series of regularly spaced perforations extendingin a helical line about the longitudinal central axis of the spray tube.

Each perforation formed in the spray tube may be such as to constitute anozzle for producing a jet of water extending either radially ortangentially relatively to the spray tube. In the latter event theopposite portions of the wall defining each perforation would be offset.

The spray tube may be of any appropriate material, for example, metal oralloy which is rustproof or rendered rustproof. Alternatively the spraytube may be of glass fibre.

The spray tube may be located at any desired disposition within thecasing of a dishwashing machine. Usually, the spray tube will extendhorizontally within the casing from side to side thereof. The spray tubewill, of course, be located in a suitable disposition relatively to arack or other support for articles to be sprayed by water from the spraytube. Thus, the spray tube may extend immediately above a rack.Alternatively it may extend between racks located above and below thespray tube.

Then again, the spray tube may extend between two racks located atopposite sides thereof and at approximately the same height.

Where a cam is provided for producing the axial reciprocation of thespray tube from the angular movement thereof and the spray tube isdriven by an impeller, the cam is conveniently a face cam which ismounted upon the casing and contacts the closed end of the spray tuberemote from that end to which the impeller is applied.

The pressure of water entering the spray tube and contacting the closedend will urge the latter into contact with the cam.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one specificconstructional example thereof will now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a diagrammaticperspective view of the complete machine with parts broken away,

FIGURE 2 is a general part-sectional perspective view of the spray tubeand impeller with part of the impeller casing shown broken away, and

FIGURE 3 is a general perspective view corresponding to FIGURE 2 showingan alternative transmission between the impeller and the spray tube.

Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout thedrawings.

The dishwashing machine of this example comprises, as will be seen fromFIGURE 1, a generally rectangular casing or cabinet, indicated generallyat 1, adapted to be Wall mounted or provided with feet for standing on afloor or table, the cabinet having a door 2, which is partiallytransparent, forming the front side of the cabinet and which is hingedthereto along its lower edge so as to open as a flap. The door edges andthe co-operating edges of the cabinet are provided with means indicatedgenerally at 3 for sealing the cabinet 1 against egress of water andalso with channels for collecting and guiding any unintended leakageWater from the vicinity of the door seal back to the machine sump.

Within the cabinet 1 is arranged an upper rack 4 and a lower rack 5 forreceiving plates, cups, saucers and the like and other eating andcooking utensils. Between these racks 4 and 5, and immediately below therack 4, there is provided a horizontally disposed water pipe or spraytube 6 which is formed with a series of perforations 6a and extends thefull length from end to end of the cabinet 1.

Below the racks 4 and 5 is a water sump 7, having a capacity of, forexample, one gallon and a compartment containing a water pump 8, a motor9 for driving the latter and the various components forming the controlsystem of the machine which are not shown on the drawings. The controlmechanism of the machine forms no part of the present invention and maybe of any appropriate form, for example that disclosed in thespecification of my co-pending United States Patent Application SerialNo. 327,697. Provision is made for connecting an external water supplyto an inlet valve 10 and for conveying away waste water expelled throughan outlet valve 11. The spray tube 6 is arranged to be supplied withwater drawn from the sump by the pump 9 through a pipe .12.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, it will be seen that an impeller,indicated generally at 13, is located at one end of the spray tube andis rigidly secured, in any appropriate manner, to the lefthand side wallof the cabinet as viewed in FIGURE 1. The impeller casing comprises twoparts, viz. a cylindrical drum 1311 closed at one side and open andformed with a radially extending annular flange at the other side, and afront closure disc 13b secured to the flange, e.g. by means of screws.Depending tangentially from the casing 13 is a Water inlet pipe 14 whichcommunicates with the interior of the casing and to which the water pipe12 is connected.

Located coaxially within the casing is a multibladed impeller 15provided with trunnions 16, 17, trunnion 16 being mounted in a bearingconstituted by a recess formed in the casing part 13a and trunnion 17extending through an aperture for-med centrally within the front plate13b. A fluid tight seal, not shown, is provided between the trunnion 17and the aperture in the part 1312. A crank 17a is attached to thetrunnion 17 and extends radially therefrom outside the casing 13. Theclosure disc 13b is formed With a water outlet aperture defined by aforwardly projecting annular flange of substantial depth. Upon thisflange 130 is slidable one end portion of a sleeve 18 which is rigidwith one end of the spray tube 6 located eccentrically with respect tothe impeller. Thus, the spray tube, with the sleeve 18, is capable ofaxial movement relatively to the impeller casing. The opposite end ofthe spray tube is supported upon the right hand side of the cabinet 1 bymeans to be described.

Formed integrally with the sleeve 18 is a radially extending arm 19which is formed therein with a longitudinally extending slot into whichextends a pin 20 provided upon the crank 17a and extending parallel tothe axis of the impeller. Thus, rotation of the impeller by the watercauses the spray tube 6 to be oscillated about its longitudinal centralaxis.

The end of the tube 6 remote from the impeller has an end closure wall612. Rigidly mounted upon this end of the spray tube is a sleeve 21provided with a pin 22 extending diametrally therein. The sleeve 21 ismounted upon a combined bearing and cam component, indicated, generallyat 23, mounted upon the wall of the cabinet. This component comprises asolid cylindrical block of a diameter to fit within the sleeve 21 andprovided at one end thereof with a mounting flange whereby it is securedto the wall of the cabinet. The opposite end of the componentconstitutes a face cam which is formed by two planar end faces 23aintersecting on a line which intersects and is perpendicular to thespray tube axis. The component 23 is shown for convenience ofillustration in FIGURE 2 separated from the end of the spray tube andextending at 90 to the axis thereof. In practice, and as shown in FIGURE1, the component 23 is engaged Within the sleeve 21, the pin 22 engagingthe two inclined faces of this cam. Pressure of water within the spraytube upon the closed end 6b thereof will ensure that the spray tube andthe pin 22 is biassed towards the cam. Thus, when the spray tube isoscillated by rotation of the impeller the spray tube will be regularlyreciprocated along its longitudinal central axis. Water is continuouslyemitted in the form of jets from the perforations 6a formed in the spraytube. This produces a very wide distribution of the water issuing fromthe spray tube and results in a very etficient washing action.

FIGURE 3 shows an alternative arrangement of transmission for convertingthe rotary motion of the impeller into an oscillatory motion of thespray tube. In this arrangement, the pin 20 and the slotted member 19are omitted. A short arm 24 is, instead, formed integrally with thesleeve 18 and is connected with the crank 17a by a connecting element 25articulated thereto by means of ball joints.

The casing and other parts of the impeller described above may be of anyappropriate material, i.e. may be cast, fabricated from sheet materialor moulded in a suitable plastic material.

I claim:

1. For use in a dishwashing machine, a fluid spray device comprising aspray tube open at one end, closed at the other end and formed with aplurality of series of perforations, each series extending therealong ina line parallel to the tubes longitudinal central axis, support means atopposite ends of said tube for journaling the tube for oscillatorymotion about and reciprocation along said axis, an impellercommunicating with the open end of said tube and having a rotorrotatable therein eccentrically relatively to said tube, a crankextending radially from and rotatable with said rotor outside said bodyand carrying a pin, an arm extending radially from said tube and formedwith a slot extending radially of the tube into which said pin extends,a cam mounted adjacent the closed end of the tube, at least one part onthe closed end of the tube adapted to contact said cam,

a sump, a conduit extending between said sump and said impeller body,and a pump for supplying washing fluid under pressure from said sump tosaid body, whereby the rotor is rotated by said fluid flowing into theopen end of the tube and through the perforations, the pressure of thefluid upon the closed end of the tube maintaining said part in contactwith said cam, and said tube is oscillated by said rotor and is axiallyreciprocated by said cam during the oscillation.

2. For use in a dishwashing machine, a fluid spray device comprising aspray tube open at one end, closed at the other end and formed with aplurality of series of perforations, each series extending therealong ina line parallel to the tubes longitudinal central axis, support means atopposite ends of said tube for journaling the tube for oscillatorymotion about and reciprocation along said axis, an impellercommunicating with the open end of said tube and having a rotorrotatable therein eccentrically relatively to said tube, a crankextending radially from and rotatable with said rotor outside the body,a short arm extending radially of said tube, a connecting elementconnected between the crank and the arm and articulated thereto by meansof ball joints, a cam mounted adjacent the closed end of the tube, atleast one part on the closed end of the tube adapted to contact saidcam, a sump, a conduit extending between said sump and said impellerbody, and a pump for supplying washing fluid under pressure from saidsump to said impeller body, whereby the rotor is rotated by said Washingfluid which flows into the open end of the tube and is distributedthrough the perforations, the pressure of the fluid upon the closed endof the tube maintaining said tube in contact with said cam, and saidtube is oscillated by said rotor and axially reciprocated by said camduring the oscillation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,550,439 8/25Irvin 134-478 X 1,687,178 10/28 Peterson 239-225 X 2,076,688 4/37 West134-174 X 2,740,416 4/56 Halsey 134-174 X 3,005,592. 10/61 Smith 239-2423,006,557 10/61 Jacobs 239-2'27 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. FOR USE IN A DISHWASHING MACHINE, A FLUID SPRAY DEVICE COMPRISING ASPRAY TUBE OPENAT ONE END, CLOSED AT THE OTHER END AND FORMED WITH APLURALITY OF SERIES OF PERFORATIONS, EACH SERIES EXTENDING THEREALONG INA LINE PARALLEL TO THE TUBE''S LONGITUDINAL CENTRAL AXIS, SUPPORT MEANSAT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID TUBE FOR JOURNALING THE TUBE FOR OSCILLATORYMOTION OBOUT AND RECIPROCATION ALONG SAID AXIS, AN IMPELLERCOMMUNICATING WITH THE OPEN END OF SAID TUBE AND HAVING A ROTORROTATABLE THEREIN ECCENTRICALLY RELATIVELY TO SAID TUBE, A CRANKEXTENDING RADIALLY FROM AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID ROTOR OUTSIDE SAID BODYAND CARRYING A PIN, AN ARM EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID TUBE AND FORMEDWITH A SLOT EXTENDING RADIALLY OF THE TUBE INTO WHICH SAID PIN EXTENDS,A CAM MOUNTED ADJACENT THE CLOSED END OF THE TUBE, AT LEAST ONE PART ONTHE CLOSED END OF THE TUBE ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID CAM, A SUMP, ACONDUIT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUMP AND SAID IMPELLER BODY, AND A PUMPFOR SUPPLYING WASHING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE FROM SAID SUMP TO SAID BODY,WHEREBY THE ROTOR IS ROTATED BY SAID FLUID FLOWING INTO THE OPEN END OFTHE TUBE AND THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS, THE PRESSURE OF THE FLUID UPONTHE CLOSED END OF THE TUBE MAINTAINING SAID PART IN CONTACT WITH SAIDCAM, AND SAID TUBE IS OSCILLATED BY SAID ROTOR AND IS AXIALLYRECIPROCATED BY SAID CAM DURING THE OSCILLATION.